


An Answer

by midoriverte



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 11:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8053804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midoriverte/pseuds/midoriverte
Summary: It was the barest brush of his lips against Kaneki’s. It could barely be called a kiss. It was more of a suggestion of a kiss.





	An Answer

The first time, it was just after Hide and Kaneki had started university. They were caught up in their newfound sense of freedom and victory and relief at getting into the school they wanted.

And Hide kissed him.

They had been talking about something completely pointless. And Hide had suddenly leaned forward, and stopped him mid-sentence.

And he kissed him.

It was the barest brush of his lips against Kaneki’s. It could barely be called a kiss. It was more of a _suggestion_ of a kiss.

Hide looked at him, half afraid and half hopeful, biting his lip slightly. Kaneki realized that the kiss was also a question.

If it wasn’t for his hammering heart and the tingling of his lips, he would have thought it didn’t happen at all.

And it had been so soft, so gentle, that Kaneki realized that Hide was giving him the option to pretend it had never happened.

Hide was a coward for giving Kaneki that option. And Kaneki was a coward for taking it.

“I, um-” Kaneki stuttered before continuing with what he had been saying. He spoke quickly and wasn’t even entirely sure what he was saying.

He saw Hide’s smile falter for just a moment. Enough for Kaneki to see in Hide’s eyes that he had just broken his heart.

But the moment passed, and he had hitched a (slightly pained) smile back on his face. And they both continued on as though nothing had happened.

The second time, they were much older, at least Kaneki felt they were. Though he knew only a few years had passed, they both felt as though they had lived an entire lifetime.

An entire lifetime apart.

And though they were exhausted (and both more than a little covered in blood), it seemed that Hide was done waiting.

He kissed Kaneki. This time the kiss was fierce, desperate, even angry. Kaneki could feel the years of hurt and longing as Hide crushed their lips together.

It was hardly what most people would call romantic, but Kaneki felt his heart soar and thought that he much preferred this kiss to their first.

It was a kiss that demanded an answer. And as Hide pulled away Kaneki could see that the years had hardened his heart more than he had known. Gone was the sweet mix of fear and hope that Kaneki had seen years before. His face was set, grim and cold, the look of a man who knew he was going to be rejected and just needed to hear it so that he could finally give up.

Kaneki thought that if he spent the rest of his life apologizing to Hide, it still wouldn’t be enough.

Instead he leaned forward and kissed Hide. Hide’s mouth fell open in surprise before Kaneki could even gently pry his lips apart himself. Kaneki put his hand on the back of Hide’s head and pulled him close.

He heard, he _felt_ , Hide sob as he finally moved his lips against Kaneki’s. The two kissed as long as they could before they had to break apart to breathe.

Hide looked at him, tears streaming silently down his face.

“Hide…” Kaneki began.

“Please,” Hide whispered. “I need to hear you say it.”

“I love you,” Kaneki said plainly. “I’m sorry.”

Hide threw himself into Kaneki’s arms, his face buried in his shoulder as he wept.


End file.
